Kalanchoe plant named ‘Pago’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Kalanchoe  plant named ‘Pago’, characterized by its numerous large yellow orange and orange bi-colored flowers; upright, uniform and compact plant habit; freely branching growth habit; dark green glossy leaves; early flowering; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Pago’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofKalanchoe plant, botanically known as Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Pago’.

The new Kalanchoe is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program was to create new freely-branching and freely-floweringKalanchoe cultivars with attractive foliage and flower coloration.

The new Kalanchoe is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of theKalanchoe blossfeldiana cultivar Petero, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat.No. 12,155. The cultivar Pago was discovered and selected by theInventor as a single flowering plant within a population of plants ofthe parent cultivar in a controlled environment in De Lier, TheNetherlands, in December, 1999.

Asexual reproduction of the new Kalanchoe by terminal vegetativecuttings taken at De Lier, The Netherlands, since 2000 has shown thatthe unique features of this new Kalanchoe are stable and reproduced trueto type in successive generations.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Pago has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without,however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Pago’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Pago’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Large and numerous yellow orange and orange bi-colored        flowers.    -   2. Upright, uniform and compact plant habit.    -   3. Freely branching growth habit.    -   4. Dark green-colored glossy leaves.    -   5. Early flowering.    -   6. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe are most similar to plants of the parent,the cultivar Petero. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by theInventor in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Kalanchoediffered from plants of the cultivar Petero in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe were more compact than plants of        the cultivar Petero.    -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe were more freely branching than        plants of the cultivar Petero.    -   3. Plants of the new Kalanchoe flowered earlier than plants of        the cultivar Petero.    -   4. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had tighter (not as open) umbels        than plants of the cultivar Petero.    -   5. Flower color of plants of the new Kalanchoe was yellow orange        and orange bi-colored whereas flower color of plants of the        cultivar Petero was orange.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can also be compared to plants of thecultivar Klabat, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,454. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plantsof the new Kalanchoe differed from plants of the cultivar Klabat in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe were more compact than plants of        the cultivar Klabat.    -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe flowered earlier than plants of        the cultivar Klabat.    -   3. Plants of the new Kalanchoe and the cultivar Klabat differed        in flower coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Kalanchoe, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Kalanchoe. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of atypical potted plant of ‘Pago’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for theaforementioned photograph and for the description were grown during theautumn in De Lier, The Netherlands, in a glass-covered greenhouse.During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20 to25° C.; night temperatures ranged from 19 to 21° C.; and light levelsranged from 10,000 to 50,000 lux. Unrooted cuttings were directly stuckin 12.5-cm containers and received long day/short night conditions (morethan 14 hours of light) for about three weeks; plants then receivedphotoinductive short day/long night conditions (minimum 14 hoursdarkness) until flowering. Plants were about 13 weeks old from anunrooted cutting when the photograph and the description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana cultivar Pago.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Kalanchoe    blossfeldiana cultivar Petero, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.    12,155.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 12 days at 21° C.            Winter: About 15 days at 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Summer: About 21 days at            21° C. Winter: About 28 days at 21° C.        -   Root description.—Numerous, fine, fibrous, and            well-branched.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Upright, uniform and compact plant habit. Very freely            flowering with numerous compound cymes. Inverted triangle            with rounded crown. Appropriate for 10 to 15-cm containers.        -   Crop time.—About 11 to 14 weeks; 3 to 4 weeks under long            day/short night conditions followed by 8 to 10 weeks of            short day/long night conditions. Moderately vigorous growth            rate.        -   Plant height at flowering.—About 18 cm.        -   Plant diameter at flowering.—About 16 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching; typically six to seven            lateral branches develop per plant. Pinching (removal of            terminal apex) is not required but will enhance lateral            branch development.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 11 to 14 cm.            Diameter: About 3 to 6 mm. Internode length: About 2 to            3 cm. Aspect: Erect. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: 147A.        -   Foliage description.—Leaves simple, opposite, generally            symmetrical. Quantity per plant: About 8 to 13 mature leaves            and 12 to 18 generative leaves. Length: About 10 cm. Width:            About 7.5 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acute. Base: Acute.            Margin: Crenate. Texture: Leathery, glabrous and succulent.            Color: Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            147A; glossy. Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: 147B. Venation, upper surface: 147A. Venation,            lower surface: 147B. Petiole length: About 1.2 cm. Petiole            diameter: About 3 mm by 7 mm. Petiole color, upper and lower            surfaces: 147A to 147B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single flowers arranged in compound            dichasial cymes that arise from leaf axils. Freely            flowering; more than 25 open flowers per lateral branch and            more than 150 open flowers per plant. Flowering continuously            for at least seven weeks. Flowers persistent. Flowers not            fragrant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Kalanchoe            initiate and develop flowers under short day/long night            conditions or during the late autumn/winter/early spring.            Flower initiation and development can also be induced under            artificial short day/long night conditions (at least 14            hours of darkness).        -   Time to flower.—Under short day/long night photoinductive            conditions, about eight to ten weeks are required. Actual            time to flower is primarily dependent upon temperature and            light intensity.        -   Post-production longevity.—Excellent post-production            longevity; plants maintain good foliage and flower substance            for about 39 days under interior environmental conditions.            Individual flowers last about 18 days on the plant.        -   Flower diameter.—About 1.9 cm.        -   Flower height.—About 1.4 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Shape: Initially oblong, becoming tubular ovoid            with development. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 4 mm.            Color: Initially, 138C, then 33D with development.        -   Petals.—Quantity: Four fused at base. Length: About 8.5 mm.            Width: About 6 mm. Aspect: Flat to slightly upright. Shape:            Ovate. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture: Glabrous,            smooth. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface:            Towards the apex, 23A; towards the base, 28B. With            development color becoming closer to 23B towards the apex            and 29C towards the base. When opening and fully opened,            lower surface: Towards the apex, 29D; towards the base, 32D.        -   Sepals.—Quantity: Four fused at base. Length: About 5 mm.            Width: About 1.5 mm. Aspect: Erect. Shape: Oblong. Apex:            Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture: Glabrous,            smooth. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 137D.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3 to 8 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Aspect: Erect. Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture: Smooth,            leathery. Color: 138C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Eight.            Anther shape: Elliptic; flat. Anther length: About 0.3 mm.            Anther color: Close to 150D. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen            color: Close to 12A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: Four.            Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: 138D. Stigma shape:            Flat rounded. Stigma color: 8D. Ovary color: 138D.        -   Seed.—Length: About 0.1 mm. Diameter: About 0.05 mm. Color:            Close to 166C.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Kalanchoe have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Kalanchoe.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Kalanchoe have been    observed to tolerate low temperatures of 16° C. and high    temperatures of 35° C.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Kalanchoe perform have been    observed to perform well in the garden and are tolerant to rain and    wind.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe plant named ‘Pago’, asillustrated and described.